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‘You’re Cordially Invited’ Review: A Half Wedding Hits Half The Mark

The latest raunchy comedy from Prime Video, ‘You’re Cordially Invited’, works some of the time and flails at others.

‘You’re Cordially Invited’ Review: A Half Wedding Hits Half The Mark

For the last few years, comedic legends from the late 90s and 00s have been taking a break on the back burner, including the likes of Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon. Now, exactly those two actors have joined to star opposite each other for Prime Video’s You’re Cordially Invited, a wedding film with a twist. Read our You’re Cordially Invited review below.

This You’re Cordially Invited review was made possible by early access screeners courtesy of Prime Video.

You’re Cordially Invited follows the unfortunate repercussions when two weddings are booked on the same day, at the same location, and what happens when you can’t rebook it. The film sees Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan) wanting to marry her partner in the place where her father (Will Ferrell) and late mother were married, but when the establishment double books a wedding between Neve (Meredith Hagner) and Dixon (Jimmy Tatro), the two parties are forced to make some compromises. This puts Ferrell and Neve’s sister Margot (Reese Witherspoon) at odds, leading to some hilarious scenes.

You’re Cordially Invited / Image Courtesy of Prime Video

For the type of movie it is, it’s a pretty standard plot. Where the film really shines is with its cast, and how they interact with one another and playing it extremely over the top. Will Ferrell’s Jim is the particular highlight here, where he plays a passionate father but one capable of holding a grudge against those who have wronged his daughter. There’s a sequence involving an alligator, making for a funny but dangerous scene. But for every hilarious joke in this movie, there is an equally unfunny moment. For example, when satirizing Jenni’s friends group with hyperbole, the characters are quite insufferable, which may be the point, but is painful to watch either way. 

The film is directed and written by Nicholas Stoller who is comedic royalty having directed Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek and the Neighbors duology. Additionally, he has writing credits for Fun With Dick and Jane and Zoolander 2. Stoller does his best with the story, providing some genuinely cool moments sprinkled throughout. The acting from all involved isn’t demanding of anything besides a good dynamic and attitude, and lucky for us, everyone does deliver- especially Jack McBrayer, who plays establishment manager Leslie. I’ve loved McBrayer in some of his other collaborations with Ferrell, particularly as Glen in Talladega Nights, so seeing him here was a delight. 

You’re Cordially Invited / Image Courtesy of Prime Video

I think where the film will struggle the most is actually getting audiences to watch it. The marketing isn’t striking by any means and most people who will sit down to watch this will be there for either Ferrell or Witherspoon, rather than being compelled to watch it for the plot or advertising. It’s a shame because I can see most, especially older audiences, enjoying this film, which is a solid return to the 2000s comedy. 

Between this and last year’s Ricky Stanicky, Prime Video is doing their best to revitalize a sub-genre of comedy that has sadly died out with the evolution of streaming and viewing habits. You’re Cordially Invited is far from a highbrow film, but it never tries to be and for that I commend it. Between a hilarious cast dynamic, some great jokes, and a decent enough premise, the film is a great choice to throw on and pass the time.

‘You’re Cordially Invited’ Review: A Half Wedding Hits Half The Mark
You’re Cordially Invited / Image Courtesy of Prime Video

You’re Cordially Invited is directed by Nicholas Stoller, and stars Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, and Geraldine Viswanathan. The film begins streaming on Prime Video on January 30th, 2025.

Thanks for reading this You’re Cordially Invited review. For more reviews, stay tuned here at Feature First.

Zanda is the Editor-in-Chief of Feature First and oversees the publishing of the outlet and content of the social media pages. He is based in Queensland, Australia and may or may not have a life like cardboard cut-out of Ryan Gosling in his room. Zanda has been actively turning Feature First into a reliable and high quality entertainment outlet since 2023.